Communication system



Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN G. ROBERTS, OF DOBBS FERRY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BELL TELEPHONE LABO- RATORIES, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK coMMuNIoATIoN SYSTEM Application filed May 14, 1930. Serial No. 452,185.

This invention relates to communication systems, such as telephone and telegraph systems, and particularly to service-charging arrangements utilized therein to make the necessary charges for the service rendered.

The objects are to secure a more equitable plan of charging for the use of the equip ment involved in the establishment and maintenance of a communication connection, to simplify and improve the apparatus used for making a service connection charge and for making repeated charges based on the duration of the communication, and tootherwise effect improvements in systems andrapparatus of this character. 3

It has been suggested heretofore to make service charges against the calling subscribers in a telephone system by means of a meter-operating device which is common to a plurality of link circuits and which associates itself with each link taken for use in the establishment of the connection and remains associated with the link throughout the conversation to efiect repeated operations of the subscribers meter.

According to the present invention, improvements and advantages are secured over 7 these prior arrangements by means of a sys-. term in which the calling subscribers meter is automatically operated to make a single charge for the establishment of a service connection with a called subscriber, and in which a common meter-operating device, repeatedly making a survey of all link circuits, be-

comes effective to cause the operation of the calling subscribers metereach time during the continuance ofthe conversation that the device encounters the link circuit involved.

The drawing accompanying this specification illustrates a portion of a telephone eX- change system in which subscribers lines ap pear at an operators position equipped with a plurality of cord circuits for effecting connections between said lines. The drawing respectively.

also illustrates a meter operator common to the cord circuits.

The subscribers lines suchas the lines A and B, appear at the operators postion, the llnes A and B terminating in jacks 1 and 4 The lines are equipped with service meters, themeter 8 being'individual to subscribers line A. The operators position is provided with a lurality of cord circuits,'such as the cord having the answering plug 2 and calling plug 8. The cord C further comprises a repeating coil 5 and answering andcalling supervisory relays 6 and-7 respectively. The meter operator MO is common to a plurality of cord circuits G 6 and is continuously operating to advance the brush 11 from terminal to terminal, thus making a repeated survey of all cords 'C to determine which onesare carrying calls and to make the necessary charges against the calling lines. The operator MO is controlled by any suitable clock mechanism and may be so timed as to repeat the test of any cord circuit at the end of a desired interval, such as a one minute, three minute, or five minute 7g interval.

Assume that the subscriber of line A desires to hold conversation with the subscriber of line B. The operator responds to the initiation of the call by inserting the plug 2 of the idle cord circuit C in the jackv 1. The insertion of the plug in the jack closes a circuit from the positive pole of battery through the upper left winding of repeating coil 5, thence over the tip of the plug 2 and jack 1, over the loop. of the line A,

and returning over the ring side of the conof the repeating coil 5, and relay 7 operates when the called subscriber answers.

A service connection having thus been established, it is desirable to charge the calling subscriber therefor whether conversation ensues or not. This initial service charge is efiected by means of the meter-operating battery 10. As soon as the supervisory relay 7 operates as above described, it completes a circuit from battery 10 through the right contact of said relay, upper contact of slow-tooperate' relay 9, contact of relay 6 through the sleeve of the plug 2 and jack 1 and the winding of the service meter 8 to ground. The meter 8 is operated in this circuit to make the initial service charge. The relay 7 at its left contact also closes an obvious circuit for relay 9. Relay 9, however, being slow to operate, maintains its upper contact closed for an interval suificient to insure the actuation of the meter 8. When relay 9 finally operates, it

disconnects the metering source 10 and permits the meter 8 to release its armature.

Relay9 at its lower contact connects the circuit extending from meter 8 to the terminal 13 in the meter operator MO. As soon thereafter as the brush 11 is driven by the magnet 14: to the terminal 13, a circuit is completed from the meter-operating battery 12 through the brush 11, terminal 13, lower contact of relay 9, contact of relay 6, and thence through the winding of meter 8 to ground.

At the end of conversation the subscribers replace their receivers on the switchhook and relays 6 and 7 release. Relay 7 permits the release of relay 9- and also disconnects the metering battery 10 to prevent a false operation of the calling subscribers meter. Belay 6 on releasing opens the metering circuit at a second point. The operator disconnects the subscribers lines by removing the plugs :2 and 3 from the respective jacks.

While the invention has been illustrated in connection with a manual system, it will be understood it is not so limited but may be applied equally as well to automatic telephone systems or to other types of systems. It will also be understood that various types of switching circuits and cord circuits may be employed and that numerous modifications of the meter operator may be utilized eiiective to register time intervals of service.

2. The combination of lines to be connected for communicationservice, meters associated with said lines, connecting circuits, individual meter-operating means for each of said'circuits for causing a registration for the establishment of a service connection over one of said connecting circuits, a meter operator common to and periodically surveying said connecting circuits, and means associated with said connecting circuits for rendering said operator eiii'ective to register time intervals of service.

3. The combination of lines to be connected for communication service, meters associated with said lines, connecting circuits for establishing a communication connection between any two of said lines, means responsive to the establishment of a connection between a calling line and a called line for operating the meter of the calling line, a meter-open ating device common to and periodically surveying said connecting circuits, and means dependent upon the condition of said connecting circuits for rendering said operator efiective to repeatedly operate the meters of said lines.

4. In combination, telephone lines, meters associated with said lines, cord circuits for establishing connections between calling lines and called lines, meter-operating means for causing the operation of a calling line meter in response to the establishment of a service connection with a called line, a meter operator common to said cord circuits and operating to periodically survey said circuitsto determine which ones are involved in'conversational connections, and means controlled by the cord circuits involved inconversational connections for rendering said operator effective to cause the operation of the calling line meters.

5. The combination of lines to be connected for communication service, meters associated with said lines, connecting circuits, ineter operating means associated with said circuits and adapted to register the establishment of service connections for said lines, a meter operator common to said circuits for periodically surveying said circuits in succession and means associated with said circuits for rendering said operator eliective to register time intervals of service.

6. The combination of lines to be connected for communication service, meters associated with said lines, connecting circuits, meter operating means associated with said circuits and adapted to register the establishment of service connections for said lines, a meter operator common to said circuits including a step-by-step switch for periodically surveying said circuits in succession, and means associated with said circuits for ren-- m dering said operator effective to register time intervals of service.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, this 12th day of May, 1980.

15 JOHN G. ROBERTS. 

